1 day agoNew York Rangers goaltender Alexandar Georgiev recorded his second shutout in four games on Sunday, stopping 38 shots in a 5-0 win at Vegas. Only six Rangers players failed to pick up a point, and Georgiev looked like a human wall when he had to make 17 saves already in the opening frame. The Russian has now won four of his last five starts to improve his record for the year to 8-5-1. He's carrying a 2.68 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. Pekka Rinne is the only goalie in the league with more shutouts (3) than him.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoPhiladelphia 76ers guard/forward
Ben Simmons continued his elite play on Sunday when he missed out on a triple-double by just a single assist in the six-point win over the defending Champs, the Raptors. Simmons was 8-for-11 from the floor en route to 16 points and added nine assists with 11 boards and five turnovers. Simmons is having a monster December with averages of 20.3 points, 8.8 assists, 6.8 rebounds and 2.3 steals while shooting an incredible 76.1% from the floor in the span of five games. The 76ers play four times this week, so keep the Aussie rolling.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoChicago Blackhawks center Jonathan Toews played a part in all of the team's three goals on Sunday, finishing a 4-3 shootout loss to Arizona with a goal and two assists. The Blackhawks captain did all of the damage in the first period, recording his ninth career three-point game. Alex DeBrincat became the eighth player in franchise history to collect 150 points prior to his 22nd birthday with a power-play goal and Dominik Kubalik scored for the Hawks as well. Toews' season hasn't been a pretty one, but he's been showing signs of improvement by averaging a point per game across his last six outings.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoPhiladelphia 76ers center
Joel Embiid is not the man you want to select in DFS when he plays the Raptors, as he managed to provide just 10 points in 30 minutes of action in the win on Sunday. Embiid connected on 3-for-7 shooting while adding eight boards with six assists and a steal and a block, but also committed seven turnovers. Embiid did sit out Saturday night with a hip issue, but once again, the Raptors did a number on the All-Star and have now held him to just 5.0 points a night and 16.7% in their two meetings this season. The 76ers play next on Tuesday with another back-to-back set for Thursday and Friday, so stayed tuned for the big man's status for those games.
--Gianni Costantiello - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoArizona Coyotes center Carl Soderberg enjoyed a two-point night with a goal and an assist against Chicago on Sunday. Christian Fischer and Conor Garland also scored in the 4-3 shootout win, Nick Schmaltz tallied two assists against his former team. Soderberg, who bagged both of his points with the man advantage, has kicked off December in fine form, scoring two goals and notching six points overall. He managed only five points during the whole of November. The Swedish veteran is getting top-six minutes and he's skating on the second power-play unit, so he definitely deserves attention in most fantasy pools.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoWinnipeg Jets goaltender Connor Hellebuyck returned to winning ways on Sunday, saving 31 of 33 shots in a 3-2 victory over Anaheim. The 26-year-old netminder had lost his previous start to Dallas in overtime, allowing three goals. Hellebuyck now has a 15-7-2 record for the season with a 2.20 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage. He's lost just four starts since November, so he's done superbly so far. Washington's Braden Holtby is the only other goalie to get to 15 wins, and Hellebuyck has positioned himself into the top-five in both goals-against average and save percentage.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoTampa Bay Buccaneers tight end
Cameron Brate caught all four of his targets for 30 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's Week 14 win over the Colts. After being relegated to blocking tight end the past few weeks, the fifth-year player found himself in the mix as quarterback
Jameis Winston peppered targets to all of his pass-catchers throughout the game. With
Mike Evans injured, this could mean extra work for Brate, but he is still a touchdown-dependant TE2 for Week 15 versus the
Lions Defense.
--John DSource: rotoworld.com
1 day agoWinnipeg Jets center Mark Scheifele scored two goals-- including the game-winner -- in Sunday's 3-2 win against Anaheim. The 26-year-old center picked up his fourth game-winning goal of 2019-20 with a power-play marker late in the game. Adam Lowry also scored for Winnipeg and Mathieu Perreault dished out two assists. Scheifele has struggled in front of goal this season, but he's picked things up in recent games, potting four goals across the last three matches. He already has five points in December, so this could turn out to be a really big month from him. Scheifele has 13 goals and 29 points overall for the season in 30 games.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoTampa Bay Buccaneers tight end
O.J. Howard caught four of five targets for 73 yards in the Bucs 38-35 win over the Colts on Sunday. For the second week in a row, Howard was involved in the game plan and produced accordingly. This is the "floor" we've been expecting all year, but it's been slow to come to fruition. The planets may be aligning for the fifth-year tight end, as the injury to
Mike Evans should keep the momentum going with a few extra looks his way. He can finally be streamed as a low-end TE1 for Week 15 against a porous
Lions Defense.
--John DSource: cbssports.com/fantasy/football/
1 day agoTampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Justin Watson caught five of eight targets for 59 yards and a touchdown in the Bucs 38-35 win over the Colts on Sunday. The second-year wideout was immediately thrown into the mix after
Mike Evans(hamstring) limped off the field early in the game. He took serious advantage of his opportunities and looked like a grizzled veteran by the game's end. Quarterback
Jameis Winston had no issues sending him eight targets throughout the game. Watson should be grabbed off the waiver wire and could be started as desperation flex play for Week 15 against the reeling
Lions Defense.
--John DSource: cbssports.com/fantasy/football/
1 day agoTampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Breshad Perriman grabbed three of five targets for 70 yards and a touchdown in the Bucs 38-35 win over the Colts on Sunday. The speedy wideout has ramped up his play recently with three nice outings in a row, even catching the game-winning touchdown against the
Colts Defense. His confidence is growing and the timing is perfect with the unfortunate injury to
Mike Evans. He should be plucked off the waiver wire and started as a nice flex play for Week 15 against the leaky
Lions Defense.
--John DSource: cbssports.com/fantasy/football/
1 day agoTampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver
Chris Godwin grabbed seven of nine targets for 91 yards in the Bucs 38-35 win over the
Colts Defense on Sunday. The third-year wideout paced the team in targets after
Mike Evans (hamstring) left the field early in the game. Quarterback
Jameis Winston had a monster day seamlessly spreading it around to all of his pass-catchers. Evans' injury makes Godwin the true No.1 of this offense now and should translate into extra work for
Breshad Perriman, newcomer
Justin Watson and the tight ends. It's an early Christmas present for Godwin owners as the Bucs face the leaky
Lions Defense in Week 15.
--John DSource: cbssports.com/fantasy/football/
1 day agoLos Angeles Clippers forward/center
Montrezl Harrell posted 20 points and five rebounds in just 25 minutes of play in a win over Washington on Sunday. The Wizards are a bit thin up front with the injury to
Thomas Bryant, and Harrell took advantage. This game marks Harrell's third time scoring at least 20 over his last four outings. The five rebounds were his fewest since November 16, but with production that outpaces plenty of starters around the league, fantasy owners have nothing to complain about.
--Daniel Lubofsky - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com
1 day agoWashington Wizards wing
Troy Brown had his best outing of the season against the Clippers on Sunday, scoring 22 points on 9-for-12 shooting to go with five rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 35 minutes. Everything about this performance was an outlier for the sophomore. He hadn't scored in double-digits since November 26 and hadn't scored over 20 points all season. The 35 minutes were also a season-high thanks to the absence of
Isaiah Thomas and his first north of 30 in over a month. Brown is a talented prospect on a fantasy-friendly Wizards team, but until he streams together some consistency, it's hard to see this breakout outing becoming anything close to the norm anytime soon.
--Daniel Lubofsky - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com
1 day agoComing off of his best game of the year and facing a subpar New York
Jets Defense, many fantasy owners likely put their playoff hopes in the hands of Miami Dolphins quarterback
Ryan Fitzpatrick, hoping the journeyman had a little more magic left. Unfortunately for those wayward fantasy players, Fitzpatrick's tricks on the field fizzled out, finishing with 245 yards, one interception, and just 11 fantasy points. The 11 points are actually generous, given Fitzpatrick's 59.4 quarterback-rating, as the sluggish quarterback got over half of his points by leading the Dolphins in rushing with an inexplicable 65 yards on the ground. Even with the dud in Week 14, Fitzpatrick is still worth keeping an eye on, getting to face a New York
Giants Defense next week that is allowing the ninth-most points to quarterbacks this season.
--Nicklaus Gaut - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
1 day agoWashington Wizards shooting guard
Bradley Beal couldn't find the mark on Sunday, shooting just 5-for-18 against the Clippers to produce 20 points and five assists. The Clippers are one of the better defensive teams in the league, and they showed it with several perimeter options to throw at Beal. Beal has had a bit of a rough go over his last three games, having failed to crack even 45 percent from the field. Things will get easier in the coming days, though. Of Washington's next three opponents, the highest any ranks in defensive rating is Detroit at 19. Expect Beal to take advantage accordingly.
--Daniel Lubofsky - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com
1 day agoLA Clippers forward
Paul George was everywhere in a win over the Wizards on Sunday, pouring in 27 points, six rebounds, six assists, and four steals in just 25 minutes of action. The defensive stats were especially encouraging for PG, who hadn't registered a steal since Thanksgiving eve. George has yet to miss a game since making his season debut, but that could change this week. LA faces the second half of a back-to-back Monday at Indiana and will travel to both Minnesota and Chicago on Friday and Saturday.
Kawhi Leonard is a near-lock to miss one of those games, and there's a very-high chance George misses the other as part of his own load management schedule.
--Daniel Lubofsky - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com
1 day agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward
Tim Hardaway Jr. was feeling it against Sacramento on Sunday, finishing a 110-106 loss with 29 points on 10-for-13 shooting. He made a career-high nine shots from deep in 36 minutes of action. Hardaway Jr. had earned 30-plus minutes of action just three times this season before Sunday, so this was an interesting development. He took full advantage of the extended minutes, finishing as the team's leading scorer.
Luka Doncic had 27 points, while
Kristaps Porzingis was limited to only 13 points. The Mavs now head to Detroit for a matchup that looks an ugly one for Hardaway Jr. on paper. The Pistons are allowing the second-fewest three-pointers per game and they have been a top-10 defensive side against shooting guards.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoLos Angeles Clippers forward
Kawhi Leonard was fantastic on Sunday in a win over the Wizards, posting 34 points on 12-for-18 shooting to go along with 11 rebounds and five assists. Leonard has scored 30 points twice in over a month. Both times have come against Washington in the span of a week and are the only two occasions since Thanksgiving in which he's shot better than 50 percent from the field. The Clippers are in Indiana to play the Pacers Monday night, and it's hard to imagine Leonard suits up for that game given his strong aversion towards back-to-back sets, of which LA has another on Friday/Saturday.
--Daniel Lubofsky - RotoBallerSource: NBA.com
1 day agoIn the middle of a breakout season and coming off of the best game of his career, Miami Dolphins wide receiver
Devante Parker was forced out of the Dolphins 22-21 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday after suffering a concussion. Parker was removed from the game after hauling in a 21-yard catch at the beginning of the second quarter and finished his day with 28 yards, catching both of his targets. Finishing with just two points, Parker has now alternated single and double-digit fantasy performances since Week 3 and if healthy, will have a juicy matchup in Week 15, facing a New York
Giants Defense that's allowing the second-most points to wide receivers this season.
--Nicklaus Gaut - RotoBallerSource: ESPN.com
1 day agoDallas Mavericks guard/forward
Luka Doncic had a tough night against the Kings on Sunday, shooting only 10-for-24 from the field and 3-for-12 from three-point range. However, despite the shooting issues, he still managed to provide a good-looking 27-8-7 line in 35 minutes. He also had six turnovers, which ended up hurting the team a lot in a close game, but at least he'll now get a nice recovery period. The Mavs won't be in action until Thursday when they take on a Pistons side that owns a lowly 109.8 defensive rating, so this should be another spot for Doncic to shine.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoSacramento Kings forward
Harrison Barnes showed off his versatility in Sunday's 110-106 win over Dallas, finishing with 13 points, seven rebounds, five assists, and one steal. It was a sweet victory for Barnes, who was traded by the Mavs 10 months ago. Barnes has played some huge minutes lately and this wasn't any different as he logged a game-high 38 minutes. He shot 6-for-15 from the field with no makes from deep. Barnes, who has averaged only 1.5 assists per game for his career, has now dished out five dimes in back-to-back games. He's expected to play a big role again in Monday's matchup against Houston, who are the league's worst defensive side against opposing small forwards.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoSacramento Kings shooting guard
Buddy Hield, who had shot below 30 percent from downtown in five straight games, ended the slump on Sunday, going 5-for-6 from deep in a 110-106 win over Dallas. He finished with 26 points, shooting 10-for-15 overall from the field. Hield also recorded five assists and four rebounds. Despite his cold shooting from deep Hield has actually posted seven consecutive 20-plus point games and he's averaging 24.5 points per night for the month. Look for him to do some damage again on Monday against the Rockets, who will no doubt give him plenty of good looks due to their defensive shortcomings.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
1 day agoSacramento Kings forward
Nemanja Bjelica matched his career high with 30 points on Sunday, helping the team beat Dallas 110-106 on the road. It was a huge bounce-back performance by the Serb after he posted a five-point dud in the previous game against the Spurs. Bjelica shot 13-for-18 from the field and 4-for-7 from downtown, collecting seven rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. He won't have any time to cool off, with Sacramento returning to action Monday night against Houston. The Kings are last in pace while the Rockets sit second just behind Milwaukee, so it's a great pace-up spot for Bjelica and the rest of the squad.
--Taavi Pailk - RotoBallerSource: ESPN
2 days agoSeattle Seahawks free safety Quandre Diggs continued to turn fans into believers by snagging a pair of interceptions, including a pick-six, in Seattle's loss to the Rams. Both of Diggs' interceptions came on back-to-back possessions, and he now has three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in just four games. The
Seahawks Defense certainly wasn't at its best on Sunday night, but with the offense doing it zero favors, it put up a pretty strong performance. Also of note, one-handed feel-good story Shaquem Griffin continues to be a revelation since he moved into a more pass-rushing role. He's given a huge boost to Seattle's pass rush as of late.
--Billy Stonick - RotoBallerSource: NFL
2 days agoSeattle Seahawks kicker
Jason Myers missed his first kick in four weeks when he missed an extra point in Seattle's Sunday night loss to the Rams. Myers' missed kick came after a pick-six by Quandre Diggs, and while it hurts to see any missed chances at points, Seattle's offense was so pitiful that the miss proved inconsequential. Myers has been money since his meltdown against the Bucs, and hopefully this will just be a minor blip. He did drill both field goals he attempted in the game, so maybe that'll help keep his confidence up and keep him focused.
--Billy Stonick - RotoBallerSource: NFL
2 days agoSeattle Seahawks wide receiver
Tyler Lockett caught four passes for 43 yards on Sunday night against the Rams, but he's clearly still hampered by the combination of the serious shin contusion and flu. Lockett seemed to struggle to get open on critical downs, and
Russell Wilson was forced to turn to less dependable options for some throws. Lockett's connection with Wilson is famous, so it's logical to conclude that the injury/illness are still affecting his play. It's unclear if the coaching staff will address it in any way or continue to run him out there, but the Seahawks will need him completely healthy if their offense is resume the high-flying act it was at the start of the year.
--Billy Stonick - RotoBallerSource: NFL
2 days agoSeattle Seahawks wide receiver
D.K. Metcalf was targeted six times on Sunday night, and he hauled in all six passes. That's the first time in his career that he's caught every pass thrown his way, and it further accentuates the growth he's had as a receiver this season. Unfortunately, Seattle lost the game and Metcalf was held without a touchdown, but improved catching is a wonderful bit of growth for the rookie. Metcalf now sits at 783 yards receiving on 50 catches, and he's been able to score five touchdowns. For a guy who was thought to just be a workout warrior, it's been quite the impressive rookie campaign.
--Billy Stonick - RotoBallerSource: NFL
2 days agoSeattle Seahawks running back
Chris Carson was able to rack up 91 scrimmage yards on Sunday night, but like the rest of the Seattle offense, he was unable to find the end zone. Carson was forced to pick up the slack after backfield-mate
Rashaad Penny went down with a significant knee injury early in the first quarter, but offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer seemed uninterested in leaning on Seattle's run game. Carson only carried the ball 15 times, his second-fewest times in the last 10 games, even though he was averaging more than five yards per carry. Hopefully, the team will get back to giving him the rock next week when they head to Carolina.
--Billy Stonick - RotoBallerSource: NFL
2 days agoSeattle Seahawks quarterback
Russell Wilson had a rough night on Sunday when he was one of many players on the team who struggled. Wilson took five sacks and failed to throw a touchdown pass for the first time this season. The shellacking by the Rams came to a head on third downs when it felt like Wilson was bombarded by defensive lineman from the moment the ball was snapped. With Seattle moving to 10-3, the team will be trying to bounce back and officially punch their ticket to the playoffs when they face the Carolina Panthers next week. Hopefully, they can have more energy and focus in Charlotte than they had in LA.
--Billy Stonick - RotoBallerSource: NFL
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